Using Spatial Distributions to Constrain Progenitors of Supernovae and Gamma Ray Bursts

Abstract

We carry out a comprehensive theoretical examination of the relationship between the spatial distribution of optical transients and the properties of their progenitor stars. By constructing analytic models of star-forming galaxies and the evolution of stellar populations within them, we are able to place constraints on candidate progenitors for core-collapse supernovae (SNe), long-duration gamma ray bursts, and supernovae Ia. In particular we first construct models of spiral galaxies that reproduce observations of core-collapse SNe, and we use these models to constrain the minimum mass for SNe Ic progenitors to approximately 25 solar masses. Secondly, we lay out the parameters of a dwarf irregular galaxy model, which we use to show that the progenitors of long-duration gamma-ray bursts are likely to have masses above approximately 43 solar masses. Finally, we introduce a new method for constraining the time scale associated with SNe Ia and apply it to our spiral galaxy models to show how observations can better be analyzed to discriminate between the leading progenitor models for these objects.

18 pages, 19 figures, ApJ, in press

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Cited by in corpus (9)

• Optical Spectra of 73 Stripped-Envelope Core-Collapse Supernovae
• Gamma-ray burst progenitors
• Statistical studies of supernova environments
• Following The Cosmic Evolution Of Pristine Gas I: Implications For Milky Way Halo Stars
• Do Wolf-Rayet stars have similar locations in hosts as type Ib/c supernovae and long gamma-ray bursts?
• On the origin of short GRBs with Extended Emission and long GRBs without associated SN
• The Effects of Radiative Feedback and Supernova Induced Turbulence on Early Galaxies
• GRB-SN Association within the Binary-Driven Hypernova Model
• The Simulated Catalogue of Optical Transients and Correlated Hosts (SCOTCH)